Blanche has a dream. She wants a new life. She wants to
escape from her past. She want to succeed in this last bid for
happiness. But Stanley and Stella have their own lives! Their own
dreams! They just want to live happily together, raise their baby,
indulge in the normal passions of a young couple and have fun with
friends like Steve and Eunice! Everything was fine!
Why does Blanche have to intrude? -That's what she is! An intruder! She's not the only one who's struggling. In case she failed to notice (which she did), the Kowalski's aren't rich. Sure, you should be able to rely on the kindness of family, and Stanley was in no way right in his disposal of her, but I definitely don't begrudge him his hostility toward Blanche.
Why does Blanche have to intrude? -That's what she is! An intruder! She's not the only one who's struggling. In case she failed to notice (which she did), the Kowalski's aren't rich. Sure, you should be able to rely on the kindness of family, and Stanley was in no way right in his disposal of her, but I definitely don't begrudge him his hostility toward Blanche.
So she made some bad decisions in life. She really should've known better. Isn't she the one who complains about her ancestor's bad decisions? Everyone makes bad decisions anyway, and it's up to ourselves to stand up to the world and deal with them. For that, I blame her delicate Southern upbringing. Blanche... Her mind works in funny ways. Her speech is very engaging, but she in herself is so useless. All she can do is hide. Hide behind her fantasies of wealthy beaus, her lies to everyone around her... Hide herself in darkness and make-up. Hide her pains under an alcohol-induced haze. What's that for? She's just fooling herself. Nothing will ever be solved by escapism.
On the other hand, though, Stanley's attitude really aggravates me; how can he just behave as if nothing ever happened (ending, when he starts groping Stella right after Blanche is taken away)? That makes him inhuman! And his temper will get him in trouble with the law one day.
Stella. "You always overshadowed me back home, Blanche, and now that I have my own life, you want to come in and mess with it? GTFO!" Angst-filled, rebellious teenager. It almost seems, for most of the play, that Stella has completely settled into the city lifestyle and married life with Stanley. But looking at her overall, I get the impression that she is not so much well-adjusted as playing. She ran away from the troubles at Belle Reve. We actually see that she was just like Blanche is, back when she first came to the city (end of Scene 8, Stanley's lines). Has she really changed, or is she merely enjoying the careless 'rebel' life, rolling in the addictive pleasures of city freedom after growing up in the South?
Mitch (initially) thinks Blanche is, what, 'old-fashioned', or something. But I really find Mitch the character with the most 'old-fashioned ideals'. Expecting a woman to be pure for him. His timid boldness. As in, appearing 'manly' while afraid to disappoint the woman he's courting. Using prostitutes to satisfy his sexual urges (since the wife's role is to raise the child and keep the household, and is not to be demeaned that way). He's the one with the most conservative leanings.
The Mexican (flower-selling) Woman is a creep who doesn't understand social cues; they were a couple having an argument and she's like... "buy flowers?" FUCK?!
The Young Man is a fool.
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